The General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) under Türkiye's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will ensure that 100,000 saplings are planted in Azerbaijan as part of a project to "breathe life into the future" of this friendly and brotherly country.

According to information obtained by Anadolu Agency (AA) from OGM, the deep-rooted relations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye are being further strengthened through joint forestry activities.

In addition to their cooperation on political, economic and military issues, the two countries are also successfully implementing projects in the field of forestry. As part of this initiative, 100,000 saplings, including species such as yellow pine, larch, laurel and acacia, produced in nurseries across five provinces, including Eskişehir, Konya, Mersin, Urfa and Sakarya, have been sent to Azerbaijan. These saplings will be planted in Karabakh and Baku, contributing to the greening and ecological future of Azerbaijan.

Türkiye's fight against predatory insects

Both countries currently face the threat of insects damaging local forests. Türkiye continues its determined fight against "Gall wasps" known locally as "Killer bees," which damage chestnut trees. Originating from China, these pests first appeared in Türkiye's Yalova's chestnut forests in 2014 and were identified as "Dryocosmus kuriphilus" in the literature. By 2021, they had spread to many provinces.

Gall wasps reduce the number of leaves, flowers and fruits on trees, hinder growth and increase susceptibility to diseases such as branch cancer. To combat this, Türkiye has focused on producing and releasing predatory insects, natural enemies of the killer bees.

The Forestry Organization of Azerbaijan has also initiated measures against the newly seen gall wasps. Last year, Azerbaijani officials examined the chestnut forests in the Bursa region of Türkiye and studied laboratories producing beneficial organisms for training and information exchange in combating killer bees.

This year, 50,000 predatory insects were sourced from Türkiye's Bursa's chestnut forests and sent to Azerbaijan, these insects will form colonies in pilot areas of the region's chestnut forests. OGM teams also conducted training in Azerbaijan on laboratory production of predatory insect broodstock, field release and biotechnical-mechanical control methods.